‘Spring’ leads Lortel nominations

Musical scores six nods

Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s dreamy meditation on turbulent teen sexuality, “Spring Awakening,” leads the field with six nominations in the 22nd Lucille Lortel Awards for Off Broadway theater.

Since its hit run at the Atlantic Theater Company last summer, the production has transferred to Broadway where it’s playing to strong houses and a growing cult following. Based on German expressionist playwright Frank Wedekind’s 1891 drama, the youth tuner scored nods for musical; choreographer Bill T. Jones; costumer Susan Hilferty; lighting designer Kevin Adams (also nommed for “Some Men” at Second Stage); and Brian Ronan for sound. Michael Mayer was the sole musical helmer to make the cut for best director.

Following with five nominations each are the Public Theater’s staging of David Hare’s “Stuff Happens,” about the run-up to war in Iraq, and the Atlantic’s production of David Mamet’s new adaptation of “The Voysey Inheritance,” Harley Granville Barker’s 1905 drama about a corrupt clan of English finance barons.

The awards are dominated this year by three companies. Buoyed by its double-whammy with “Spring Awakening” and “Voysey,” the Chelsea-based Atlantic came out in front with eleven noms, followed by the Public with nine, including nods for resident LAByrinth Theater Company. More unexpected, however, was the success of Signature Theater Company, with eight noms for its polished revivals besting several major Off Broadway houses known for launching new work, among them Playwrights Horizons, Second Stage, Lincoln Center Theater and New York Theater Workshop.

Signature earned three noms apiece for its productions of August Wilson’s “King Hedley II” and “Two Trains Running,” and an additional two for John Guare’s “Landscape of the Body,” all of which compete with “Voysey” in the revival race. The company last year topped the Lortels with four prizes for Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful.”

Up against “Spring Awakening” for musical are Scott Brown and Anthony King’s “Gutenberg! The Musical!,” Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hudes’ “In the Heights” and Brendan Milburn, Rachel Sheinkin and Valerie Vigoda’s “Striking 12.” “In the Heights” also drew nods for choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and for Anna Louizos’ set design. The upbeat tuner, set in a Washington Heights Latino neighborhood, is backed by producing team Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman, whose collective credits include “Rent” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

In addition to James and Stuhlbarg, other lead actor noms include Philip Seymour Hoffman for LAByrinth’s “Jack Goes Boating,” Russell Hornsby for “King Hedley II” and Lee Pace for “Guardians” at Culture Project. Actress contenders include Rebecca Brooksher in “Dying City,” Jill Clayburgh in “Busy World,” Patricia Heaton in Second Stage’s “The Scene” and Laila Robins in “Sore Throats” from Theater for a New Audience.

Kevin Kline, starring in “King Lear” at the Public, will receive this year’s lifetime achievement award. Playwright’s Sidewalk inductee is Christopher Durang, while fight director Rick Sordelet receives the Edith Oliver award for sustained excellence, Classical Theater of Harlem will be honored for body of work, and Actors’ Fund of America receives a special award.

The Lortels will be presented May 7 in a ceremony at New World Stages.

SOLO SHOW“¡El Conquistador!” — by Thaddeus Phillips and Tatiana Mallarino in collaboration with Victor Mallarino. Producer: New York Theatre Workshop. Performed by Thaddeus Phillips“No Child …” — written and performed by Nilaja Sun. Producers: Scott Morfee, Tom Wirtshafter and Epic Theater Center“Wrecks” — by Neil LaBute. Producer: The Public Theater. Performed by Ed Harris